Who I Once Was
by Anduren
Summary: Jason Anderson had always believed that he should expect the unexpected, however turning into a cybertronian and reading his own obituary weren't exactly what he had in mind. Warnings: Gender bent Optimus Prime, OC's, and hinted experimentation. Please Read and Review.


**Who I Once Was**

by

Anduren

Authors Note: This is my first work of fanfiction. It is set primarily in the Transformers: Prime universe however it draws in elements and characters from rest of the aligned continuity. As far the time line is concerned it takes place after Operation: Bumblebee and before Loose Cannons. Fair warning it contains OC's and hinted romance as well as portraying Optimus Prime as a femme. If you aren't into those sorts of things I would strongly recommend hitting the back button. Otherwise please read and review.

 **Disclaimer: The Transformers franchise is property of Hasbro. The only things I own are my OC's. Any resemblance they bear to characters both real or fictional is unintentional.**

Airstorm stood in front of the monitor in Autobot Outpost Omega One. Currently the large copper colored flier mech was on monitor duty and was grateful for the change of pace it provided despite of how boring it was. Since his transformation from human to cybertronian two weeks prior Ironhide and Prowl had been pushing him hard during combat training in order to both get him battle ready and to acclimate him to his new body. Among the many other things he did he was forced to practice moves until he mastered them, he had to complete an obstacle course that seemed to have one too many obstacles, and he also spent time at the shooting range learning to use his blasters. It wasn't just Ironhide and Prowl who had been pushing him hard however.

Though not physically exhausting like combat training Ratchet's lectures on cybertronian biology often left him mentally exhausted. Mainly because cybertronian biology was just as complex as human biology if not more complex. Among the myriad of things Airstorm had learned about his new body was the fact including that he was similar in size, and general frame type to Megatron (thankfully he possessed a far friendlier appearance than the Decepticon warlord). His time was also spent reading data-pads about cybertronian history and culture(in cybertronian no less). Ratchet often tested him on what he had learned and made him

Since his transformation he had often found himself wondering what cover story Agent Fowler had told his family. His uncle had been military long enough to know a coverup when he heard one, but soldier enough to know when not to ask questions. He wondered how his family was coping with the news of his purported death. All Airstorm himself knew was that he had been declared dead.

There was only one way he could find out…

Airstorm turned his head carefully glancing around the command center in order to insure he was alone. He knew Prowl as well as the others would throw a fit if he knew what he was about to do.

He opened up Google on the monitor and typed in his previous name in the search bar.

'Jason Anderson'

Airstorm carefully began looking through the search results. After a short search he found his name and birth date listed in a recent news article. He then carefully read it.

Then froze staring at the monitor in shock…

 **-O-**

Elita-One drove into base. Her patrol had been long and thankfully uneventful. She transformed out of her pink sports car alt-mode and spotted Airstorm on monitor duty.

"How is monitor duty Airstorm?" She asked. Airstorm however didn't respond and remained focused on the screen not moving.

This was unusual as Airstorm was usually answered her or anyone else that spoke to him. It was then she noticed the wide optic expression on his face. Immediately she touched her servos to her audio receptor activating her com-link.

"Elita-One to Optima Prime." She said into com worry filling her voice

"Prime here. Is something wrong?" Came the authoritative contralto voice of the femme leader of the Autobots. Elita could hear a hint of concern in her leaders voice.

"We have a situation with Airstorm in the command center." she reported.

"I am on my way." replied Optima.

Optima swiftly entered the room with Ratchet hurrying in after her. Ratchet immediately began scanning Airstorm. Optima turned her attention from Airstorm to Elita.

"How has he been like this?" She asked.

"He was like this when I returned from patrol about a breem ago. He hasn't responded to me at all." Elita replied turning her attention Optima.

There was a soft beeping noise from Ratchets direction signifying that his scans were finished and that the results of said scans were in. Ratchet turned his attention from Airstorm to address Optima and Elita his face bearing a neutral expression."I've finished my scans of Airstorm. There's nothing physically wrong with him that would explain his current state."

Optima slowly approached Airstorm gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright Airstorm?" She asked her voice soft and filled with concern.

"No, I'm not alright" Airstorm answered slowly his normally confident voice sounding shaky. He hadn't been alright since he had awoken as a cybertronian a little over two weeks ago. While he had mastered the basics so to speak, the whole affair felt surreal to him.

"Then what might I ask is the cause of your previous state?"

Airstorm briefly shut his optics and opened them. His posture sagged as he gave the cybertronian equivalent of a sigh. "I… I found my own obituary." He answered slowly, distress evident in his voice.

Airstorm watched as the other three's faces went blank. Expressions he knew meant they were looking up what he was talking about on the internet. In this case likely what an obituary was as well as reading his obituary. After what seemed like the longest moment ever their expressions changed to looks of sympathy and understanding.

"Oh, Airstorm." Optima breathed sympathetically, placing a hand on each of his shoulder plates. She didn't know why, however seeing him in this state affected her more strongly than it should.

Seeing Optima upset Airstorm pulled her into a hug. Optima tensed in surprise, then relaxed and returning the gesture.

Elita and Ratchet shared a look, then exited the room electing to give the two privacy.

Before he been forcibly changed Airstorm or rather Jason as had been known as at 25 years old had been oldest of the Autobot's four human charges. Specifically he had been Optima's charge. And they tended to spend a great deal of time together. When she went on patrol he joined her, if she went on a mission he sometimes accompanied her (only if it was a low risk mission), and if she was was on monitor duty he was close by. Sometimes he could be found sitting on her shoulder. Optima didn't seem to mind this. In fact she seemed to enjoy it.

When Jason had been kidnapped by a rogue decepticon (who still remained unidentified despite the Autobots as well as Agent Fowler's best efforts) while attending a family reunion in upstate New York, Optima had been distraught. So distraught that Ratchet had to sedate her. When they had located him two days later she filled with a sense of relief. Which was thoroughly shattered when they had discovered him hooked up to life support while suspended inside a large glass cylinder filled with cybermatter and nanobots. Over the next week she watched as his human features slowly changed to cybertronian. Questions plagued her. Would he survive? If he did, would he remember her? Would he blame her?

"It's not your fault." Airstorm said softly as if he was sensing her thoughts. He slowly pulled out of the hug. As much as he enjoyed the contact he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Or do something he'd regret. He could no longer deny to himself that he found her attractive in every possible way. He loved her, even before his 'upgrade' as Sunstreaker and Miko had taken to calling his transformation.

"I believe you have said that to myself as well as the others numerous times."

Airstorm carefully sat down on the floor with his legs straight out and carefully leaned back against the cement platform surrounding the monitors. He slowly looked up surveying her amazonian figure before focusing on her face. Standing at 29 feet Optima Prime was taller than everyone on base except for himself who stood at 30 feet.

"When I turned sixteen my grandfather gave a piece of advice." He began. "Life's unpredictable so keep an open mind and expect the unexpected."

"I sincerely doubt this was what your grandfather had in mind when he told you that." Optima commented wryly.

In spite of the seriousness of the conversation Airstorm let out a soft laugh, and then gave her a brief smile. He was already starting feel better. "I doubt that was what he had in mind either. But also remember him telling that I should learn from my mistakes, then move on. For the past two weeks my thoughts have been so focused on my lost humanity that I've failed to realize that what I am shouldn't change who I am."

"I am pleased to know that you have realized this." She said.

"I don't expect things to be easy." Airstorm replied his voice filling with its usual confidence.

"Know that if you need to talk Airstorm I am willing to listen." She offered

"Thanks Optima. Now I should really be off to get some recharge. It's late and I likely have another day of getting my aft handed to me in training." he said with humor in his voice.

Airstorm got up and turned toward the monitor. After a brief glance he turned it off. As he slowly headed towards his quarters he knew that his life would never be the same and that he occasionally he'd be reminded of who he once was.

 _-_ _The End-_


End file.
